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Highlight:
- Titan Minerals Ltd (ASX:TTM) reports over 90% gold recovery from sulphide ore testwork at Dynasty Gold Project
- Metallurgical results confirm viability of conventional gold processing techniques across all ore types
- Initial results simplify plant design, reduce costs, and support future development plans
Titan Minerals Ltd (ASX:TTM) has achieved a significant milestone in the development of its Dynasty Gold Project in southern Ecuador, reporting high gold and silver recoveries from initial metallurgical testwork. The results confirm the effectiveness of using conventional gold processing technologies on sulphide ore, laying a strong technical foundation for future development studies.
The metallurgical testwork returned overall gold recoveries of 91% and silver recoveries of 95%, underscoring the amenability of Dynasty’s sulphide ore to traditional flotation, oxidation, and cyanidation processes. The positive results mark a critical de-risking step for the project, which holds a large-scale gold resource of 3.1 million ounces and represents a major pre-development opportunity in the Andean gold belt.
A master composite sample sourced from the Cerro Verde and Iguana deposits was used for the testwork. At a grind size of P80 75 microns, flotation rougher concentrate recovered 94% of gold and 95% of silver. Subsequent oxidation and cyanidation of the concentrate further enhanced recoveries, achieving 97% gold recovery, culminating in an overall 91% recovery rate. This high-level recovery supports the applicability of traditional flowsheets and allows for the design of a simplified processing plant.
The flotation concentrate, grading 25 grams per tonne (g/t) gold and 164 g/t silver, constituted 13.9% of the feed mass. The high-grade nature of this intermediary product, coupled with low concentrations of deleterious elements such as arsenic, positions it as a potential source of early cash flow through direct sales to third-party smelters. This option adds operational flexibility during the initial stages of project development.
Importantly, the flotation testwork demonstrated consistently high metal recoveries across a range of grind sizes. This flexibility in processing conditions offers opportunities for optimisation and cost efficiencies. Furthermore, gravity recoverable gold represented less than 10% of the total gold content, indicating that the inclusion of a gravity circuit in the plant design is unnecessary. The removal of this component from future plant configurations is expected to simplify operations and reduce capital expenditure.
Earlier testwork on oxide ore at Dynasty had already delivered gold recoveries of 88% using conventional cyanide leaching methods. When considered together with the new sulphide results, Titan Minerals now has the technical basis for a unified processing flowsheet that can handle both oxide and sulphide domains across the project. This integrated design approach enhances project scalability and supports a seamless transition between ore zones as mining operations progress.
The company has emphasised that ongoing metallurgical studies will focus on validating the representativity of the current samples and refining all aspects of the proposed flowsheet. Areas of future analysis include further optimisation of flotation parameters, oxidation techniques, and leaching processes. Additional methods such as hot curing and lime boiling may also improve silver recoveries.
Dynasty’s large-scale 3.1-million-ounce resource and the strong metallurgical response to conventional processing place the project in a favourable position as Titan Minerals continues its pre-development activities. The project’s potential to support early-stage concentrate sales, combined with simplified processing plant requirements, adds both strategic and economic value to the development pipeline.
The metallurgical work was conducted by Auralia Metallurgy in Perth under the guidance of metallurgical consultant Ivan Hunter of Scott Dalley Franks Pty Ltd. The collaboration has yielded crucial insights that will shape further technical studies and potential project design.
Titan Minerals is advancing its drilling campaign at Dynasty, aiming to further define and expand the existing resource. As resource drilling progresses, the commencement of development studies is anticipated to align closely with the completion of ongoing metallurgical evaluations. These parallel workstreams will be instrumental in shaping the future development trajectory of the project and unlocking its full value.
With a robust resource base, strong metallurgical fundamentals, and a clear processing pathway, the Dynasty Gold Project stands out as a key asset in Titan Minerals' portfolio. The continued technical de-risking of the project supports its progression toward advanced development planning, amid favourable global gold market conditions and increasing investor interest in Tier-1 development assets.
